BU Research Blog

Public engagement is an increasingly important part of demonstrating research impact, and national initiatives such as the ESRC Festival of Social Science provide valuable opportunities for researchers to connect their work with wider communities. 

The 24th annual ESRC Festival of Social Science (FoSS) will take place from Saturday 17 October to Saturday 7 November 2026, with the theme ‘Money, Finance and the Cost of Living’. This year marks our 15th year of participation in the festival and our fourth year partnering with the University of Southampton to deliver an extended programme of events across Dorset and Hampshire. 

The festival offers researchers the opportunity to take part in the UK’s largest celebration of social science research and to engage with a wide range of non-academic audiences, including young people, members of the public, the third sector, businesses, and government. For many researchers, the festival also provides a practical way to explore new approaches to engagement and to build confidence in communicating research beyond academia. 

To support colleagues who are considering taking part, we are hosting an information session for academics interested in achieving real-world impact through public engagement. The session will be co-hosted by the Research Engagement and Impact Team at Bournemouth University and the Impact Funding Team at the University of Southampton. We will also hear from some of last year’s event leads, who will share their experiences and lessons learned. 

Date: Friday 24 April 2026
Time: 13:00 – 14:00
Location: Online (Microsoft Teams) 

To register, please complete the form below. We will then be in touch with further information. 

ESRC Festival of Social Science 2026 – Information Session  – Fill in form 

If you have any enquiries, please contact: researchengagementandimpact@bournemouth.ac.uk